Failed State (A James Winchester Thriller Book 1) (James Winchester Series) James Samuel (best book clubs txt) 📖

willing to sacrifice the woman who gave birth to you, just to get to me. Someone you don’t even know.”

Vargas tried to wrestle himself away from him, but James’ firm grip locked him down.

“You brought all this on yourself. Your mother is homeless. You’ve broken her heart. Although I’m sure you broke her heart years ago with everything you’ve done. What do you have to say for yourself?”

“Fuck you.”

James slammed a sharp elbow into the side of his cheek. He grabbed him before he could even fall. The smoke shrouded the two women from view.

“For once in your life, look at what you’ve done to your family.”

“What do you want from me?”

“You know why we came for you. Quezada kidnapped Jessi Montoya. He wants to marry her.”

“How do you know that?” Vargas spat.

“I know a lot of things. I’m coming for Quezada. For everything he’s done to your country. For all the people he’s killed in cold blood. You’re only the beginning.” James spoke directly into his ear. “I’m coming for your friend Parejo too. I’m going to tear your cartel apart because you don’t know who you’re dealing with.”

Vargas said nothing. All the fight drained out of him.

“You’ve got a lot of money,” James remarked. “A lot of money, I’m sure. When Quezada is gone, a lot of money to take away with you. That could happen if you say the right things. You love your mother, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“What would it do to her if I killed you in front of her?”

Vargas tried to jerk himself away again. “Please… don’t.”

“Then tell me where Jessi Montoya is. She has nothing to do with this business. She’s an innocent woman.”

“I… I don’t –”

James smashed another elbow into his crushed cheek. “Where is she?”

“I can go if I tell you?”

“Yes.”

“In a hacienda. A red hacienda north of Yuriria. Quezada’s cousin owns it. One of his aunts lives there. You won’t have any trouble. We don’t keep it guarded. We knew Montoya would never look there.”

James nodded. He knew Vargas had told the truth. Narcos were not the mafia. They would squeal if they could spot a chance of escape. Either way, his time had elapsed. Soon the authorities would come. He couldn’t be seen here.

“Now can I go?”

“For everything you did for Quezada, yes.” James unsheathed his combat knife from his belt. “For the death of Diego Gutierrez, you still haven’t paid the price.”

James drove the knife into Vargas’ stomach. The narco screamed like he’d never screamed before as nerve endings were cut and flesh torn to pieces. He dragged the knife clean across his stomach, like the Sicilian mafia of old. There he let him die. Not even the greatest doctor in the world could save him now.

“You never saw me,” he warned the two women.

James stalked away from the bleeding Vargas as his mother hurried to cradle her accursed son. He felt no pity for him, or for her. Vargas made his choices and choices came with consequences. Quezada had a lot to answer for.

Chapter Thirty-Four

Guanajuato, Guanajuato, Mexico

 

A solemn atmosphere descended upon Dr. Silva’s home like a mourner’s veil. Only when James found himself sitting in the courtyard with Sinclair did the magnitude of Diego’s sacrifice dawn on him. He left the chair where Diego liked to sit empty as a memorial.

“I’m sorry for Diego,” said Sinclair. “He was a good man.”

James stubbed out his cigarette and immediately lit another one. “You told me not to trust him. Don’t pretend like you thought much of him.”

Sinclair looked taken aback. “I was only passing on information Gallagher already knew.”

“He was one of the best partners I’ve ever worked with, Sinclair. The times he put himself in the firing line makes him a hero in my mind. I don’t want to hear about Gallagher’s opinion on him.”

Sinclair drummed his fingers on the arm of his chair. “Very well. In any case, did you get the information you needed?”

“I did. Jessi Montoya is in a hacienda north of Yuriria on the lake. One of Quezada’s aunts lives there.”

“Interesting. I wouldn’t have thought they could keep Jessi there without guards. Is the aunt really that formidable?”

James shrugged. “They’ll have some way of keeping her there. Maybe she’s already got Stockholm Syndrome.”

Sinclair smirked at that. Many hostages gave up after a few weeks and became friends with their captors. Sooner or later, they would agree to anything just to avoid any violence. It was how many hostages stayed put for years without end.

“Scope out the place and don’t go out unarmed. You never know what Quezada has up his sleeve.”

“Well, this time I’ll have to do it alone. I’m lacking a partner.”

“No, Gallagher knows about Diego. He passed on his condolences and said some nice words about him. He said you need someone else if you’re going to continue the contract. It was an order, so we don’t have any choice in the matter.”

James frowned. “Who?”

“Blake Miller.”

James slammed his fist on the table. “Is Gallagher playing a joke on me or something?”

“He’s from America. it only makes sense that Gallagher would want to assign him so he could start working as soon as possible. We must capitalise on this momentum before Quezada can reorganise.”

James muttered under his breath and looked away from Sinclair. He detested Blake with all his heart. That brash, high and mighty American had been a royal pain in the neck since he joined Blackwind. Nothing was ever good enough and he believed he knew everything. Secretly, James had hoped he would hear the news that Blake had failed a mission for once, just to take him down a peg. It never happened. Blake had always been one of Gallagher’s favourites.

“It doesn’t